India
Panel to be formed to suggest measures for ensuring healthcare professionals’ safety
NEW DELHI — The Union health ministry on Saturday said a committee will be formed to suggest all possible measures for ensuring the safety of healthcare professionals.
Representatives of all stakeholders, including the state governments, will be invited to share their suggestions with the committee.
The ministry has requested the doctors agitating across the country over the alleged rape and killing of a resident doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata to resume their duties in the larger public interest and in view of the rising number of dengue and malaria cases.
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Representatives of the Federation of Resident Doctors’ Association (FORDA), Indian Medical Association (IMA) and resident doctors’ associations of government medical colleges and hospitals of Delhi met the Union health minister in the wake of the Kolkata incident.
The associations have put forth their demands regarding the safety and security of healthcare workers at their workplaces, the ministry said in a statement.
The ministry has heard the demands and assured the doctors’ associations of all possible efforts to ensure the security of healthcare professionals. The representatives of the associations were informed that the government is well aware of the situation and sensitive to their demands, the statement said.
It was also observed that 26 states have already passed laws for the protection of healthcare workers.
“In view of the concerns expressed by the associations, the ministry assured them of constituting a committee to suggest all such possible measures for ensuring the safety of healthcare professionals.
“Representatives of all stakeholders, including the state governments, will be invited to share their suggestions with the committee,” the statement said.